Arroyo warned of Marcos’, Somoza’s experience
Inquirer
Last updated 09:06am (Mla time) 05/28/2007


Every time the US Wall Street is on the verge of collapse, a global war breaks out. According to Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, the greatest threat facing America today is not terrorism or foreign economic competition or illegal immigration but the disastrous fiscal policies of its own government, allegedly marked by shameless deficit spending and dollar devaluation. When corporate America fails, the military industrial complex acts to save it. The problem is, it transfers the blame for creating state-sponsored terrorists -- like Bin Laden, Ramzi Yousef -- from their “operators” to other nation-states.

Allies who, the “establishment” believes, shift their loyalty to their perceived enemy suffer the consequences. Look what happened to Marcos, the Shah of Iran, Noriega of Panama, Diem of Vietnam, Hussein of Iraq, Somoza of Nicaragua, all “American boys” but ousted by their colonial master.

The Nicaraguan experience is very relevant to the Philippine situation today. US Marines were sent to Nicaragua to back up Anastasio Somoza’s martial law. But after several years, he became a nationalist and started defying the secret orders of Washington which, in response imposed economic sanctions. Nicaragua experienced an economic slowdown and corruption became endemic. Somoza’s military became his sole protector.

The assassination of Joaquin Chamorro, the editor of the anti-Somoza newspaper La Prenza, agitated the restive Nicaraguans. A déjà vu of the Ninoy Aquino assassination and the political killings happening under the Arroyo presidency. Chamorro’s death emboldened the Sandinista National Liberation Front to fight the government, with the help of Nicaragua’s confused citizenry. Nicaragua became ripe for anarchy and eventually plunged into a civil war.

The Sandinista ousted Somoza and took over the government in 1979. But when the Sandinista gave the Nicaraguans a chance to decide their own future, it got the ire of the US government. The Reagan-Bush administration started funding and arming the “Contra war” to undermine the Sandinista regime.

The Arroyo administration should be wary of this pattern of history, especially now that the President is perceived to be using her China card. Political observers were amazed when the United States and the United Nations warned the Arroyo administration about the ongoing human rights violations and the political killings. There is the perception that the atrocities -- which continue despite the President’s order to stop them -- have the blessing of Malacañang.

Political pundits see both the American and Philippine governments as anti-communists. But why is the US establishment serious in investigating the alleged human rights violations, thus making the leaders of the progressive Left like Rep. Satur Ocampo look like a hero in the mold of Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua?

With a divided military, will history repeat itself?

—ERICK SAN JUAN,
Manila Bank,
Ayala Avenue, Makati City
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